Ice-cubing machine



F. TURNER ICE GUBING MAGHINE" June 9, 1925.

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 11, 1925 .June 9, 1925. 1,541,603

F. TURNER ICE =CUBING MACHINE Filed May 11. 192s zsneew-shee. 2

Een( T11/7er wf MW' l am ,rated .inne 9, 1925.,

rarest FREAB TURNER, 0F DETROT, MICHIGAN, ASSXGNOR T0 TURNEREvESSENGrER MANU- FACTURING CO., OF DETROT, MCHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

' cncnene macinata.

Application filed May l1, 1923'. Serial No. 638,290.

Y of machines adapted forsawing, cutting, or

otherwise operating on a blocl; of ice to divide the same into cubes orxsmall pieces for table use, such machines evenly cubing the block of ice with a minimum waste.

The primary Object of my invention is to provide a machine of theabove Class in which a block of ice 'may be economically and expeditiously operated upon to produce cube-sV or small pieces of ice, the machine including saws for vertically and laterally cutting the block of ice, and `novel means for shifting the block of ice so that V it may be operated upon by the lsaws without being manually handled. v

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the aboveclass embodying a turn tabl-e for a block of ice, a carriage or frame for shifting the block of ice, and a novel holding device by which la block of ice can be supported in an elevated position while being shifted. n

The above and other objects are attained by a machine wherein lthe parts are constructed with a view of reducing the cost of manufacture and atthe same time retain those features by which durability and ease of operation are secured. The construction of the machine will be hereinafter described and then claimed and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan of the ice cubing ma.- chine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of a portion of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same;

Fig. 4 4is a side elevation of a portion of the same;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a block of ice having its lower face Vprovided with kerfs, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the turn table of the machine.

The machine framework comprises side H frames 1 and 2 connected by I-beams 3Y and 4, and on said framework is a table top 5.

The lower face of the table top has transversely alining bearings 6 and 7 for a power shaft 8 which has one end thereof protruding at the side of the frame 1 so that it may be power operated by a belt trained over a pulley 9 on the end of the shaft or hand operated. Fixed on the shaft 8 for rotationtherewith are a plurality of parallel equally spaced Circular saws 10 extending through slots 11 in the tabl-e 5, and on the inner end of the shaft 8, ad-

Supported from the lower fac-e of the table 5 is a bearing 13 for a vertically dis posed shaft l14 having `a beveled gear wheel 15 meshing with the beveled gear wheel 12, and the upper end of the shaft 1'4 extends through an opening 16 in 'the table 5 and is .provided with a horizontally disposed circularv saw 17. Thesaws 10 are adapted to 'produce vertical kerfs of a depth corresponding to one dimension of a cube and after vertical right angular intersecting kerfs are produced in the lower face of the block of ice, the saw 17k is adapte-d to lattherefrom. f'

In order that a block of ice 18 may be lconveniently Ymanipulated in a prescribed manner relative to the saws 10 and 17, the table 5 is provided with a shiftable carriage frame 19, said frame having wheels or roll- -ers 2() at one end thereof rollable on the Vtable and supporting this end of the carriage frame Ielevated relative to the table.

The opposite end of the carriage frame is supported in an elevated position by grooved or flanged wheels or rollers 21von a rail 22 suitably connected to the side of the table 5,l and in order that there will be sufficient room at this side of the carriage frame for other mechanism or devices, one

jacent the bearing 6, is a beveled gear wheel -erally cut the block of ice and liberate cubes ft 19 has a handle 24 and this side of the carn riage frame may be considered as being at the front side of the machine, so vthat an operator may shift the carriage trame bacl; and torth on the table with the block of ice 18 in one end of the carriage itrame',`y\.fhere by the block of ice will encounter the cir-` cular saws and lirst have its lower face provided with parallel vertically dispos-ed lierfs 25.

The l-beam 4, as best shown in Fig. 3, has a bracket bearing 26 extending under i the table 5, and in this bracket bearingv is a rotatable and reciprocable vertically disposed turn table shaft 27 which has its upper end loose in a depressed or countersunk portion 28 of the table 5. On the upper end of the shaft 27 is a head or turn table 29 normally seated in the depressed or countersunl; portion 26 ot the table with the upper face oi the head 29 liush with the top oi the table 5, so that when the head is in such position the block of ice 18 may be easily moved on the table 5 within the carriage Jframe 19.

TEivotally connected to the bracket bean ing 26, as at 30, is a't-readle 31 having its outer end protruding from the trent side of the machine and its inner end extending un? der the lower end ot the turn table shaft 27.

Pressure on the outer end of the treadle 31 will elevate the shaft 27 and place the head 29 in a plane above the-carriage iframe, so that when the blockof ice 18 is on the head 29, said block of ice may be turned a quarter o1 a revolution, which can be only accomplished when the lower face of the block of F ice is supported in a plane above the carriage trame. Y

After the lower face of thebloclr of ice 18 has been provided with the kerfs 25, the block oflice maybe again subjected to the action of the saws 10 to provide the lower face of the block of ice 18 with lrerfs 32 of the samedepth as the lrerfs 25, but disposed at a right angle thereto, as best shown in Fig. 5. y

YPivotal-ly mounted on the carriage frame 19.y adjacent the extension 23, i-s a block holding device-comprising a long off-set arm 33 and a short bifurcated arm 34. rlhe long offset arm 33 has aI toothed or serrated head 35 that may swing into an offset portion 36 of the fra-me 19, and the head 35 is adapted to engage thev front face of the block of ice 18 and hold the rear Jface of the block oztice against pins or projections 37, carried bythe carriage frame 19 opposite the oliset portion 36 thereof.

The short bifurcated arm 34 of the block holding` device engages a cam 38 pivotally mounted on a bracket 39 atl theiend ofthe carriage' frame 19, and said cam has a handle 40 so that it may be conveniently swung to actuate the block iolding device. Pivotally connected' to the short bifurcated arm 34is a rod 41 slidable in a lu f 42mounted Y A- on the end ot the carriage trame 19, and

encircling the rod 41 and bearing against the lug 42 is a coiled expansion spring 43. rlh'e expansive torce of this spring insures a positive contact of the short arm 34 with the cam 38, so that there will be novlost motion and the cam may be depended on for shitting the block` holding device.

Preventing` vertical displacement of the carriage frame 19 relative to the table 5 is an angular hanger 44 extending under the rail 22 with an adjustablev screw 45 below said rail. This screw may be set or adjusted so that it will prevent the wheels or rollers 21 from derail'ment. The rail 22 may be provided with stop pins 46 to limit re'- ciprocation of the carriage frame 19 on the table 5, said stop pins being engaged by the hanger 44. The table 5,V below the front edge of the saw 17,v hasan opening 47 through which cubes of ice may fall on to a channel shaped chute or trough 48 having its upper end suitably connected tothe lower face of the table 5 and its lower end supported by the I-beam 3, as best shown in Fig'. 3. e Y

In operation, the block or cake of ice 18 is placed in the carriage frame l19, over the head- 29 oi the turn table. The carriage frame 19 is then pushed outward andthe lower face of the block of ice operated upon by the saws 10 to produce the vkerfs 2,5.

The carriage frame 19 is then retracted until the sawed block of ice is onY the headj29, at which time the treadle 31 isV depressed to elevate the block of ice above the plane of the carriage frame. The block otice is then turned a. quarter of arevolution with' the lower end of'thesha'i't- 27 turning on the end of the treadle 31. The treadle 31 is then released permittingy the block of ice to `again enter the carriage frame 19, at which time the carriage trame vis again shiftedoutwardly and theV lrerfs 32 produced. Next, the carriage frame -is retracted and the block of ice shifted off of the turn table into the opposite end of the carriage frame. `ln order that the bloclr of ice may enter this end of the carriage frame the holding device is retracted and then released permitting the head 35 and the projections37 to clamp the block of ice in the carriage frame, which is now shifted outward andthe block of ice subjected to a lateral cut. The sawed lowerface of the block of ice will be removed and the cubes will fall through the opening 47 on to the chute 48 and into a re'- c'epta'cle placed at the lower end of the chute. The block of ice Vwill' reman clamped in the end of the carriage frame -19 thus permitting of the carriage framebeing retracted without any danger of the ice encountering the saw 17. After. the carri-age frame is retracted the bloclft` of ice may be released to fall on. to the table 5, and

when shifted to the opposite end of the cari riage frame it is in position for the above recited operation to be repeated, such operations being continued until as much O f the block of Aice has been cubed as is possible.

It is thought that utility of the machine will be apparent without further description, and while in the drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understoodl that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is l. In an ice cubing machine` wherein blocks of ice are adaptedto be operated upon by sawing to provide kerfs by which cubes are released from the block of ice means adapted for manipulating the block of ice relative to said saws, said means comprising a shiftable frame, and a reciprocable turn table permitting of a block of ice being elevated and turned relative to said frame so that said frame may subject different faces of the block of ice to some of said s SLWS.

2. An ice cubing machine, as in claim 1, wherein said turn table includes a vertical shaft, a7 treadle adapted for elevating said shaft, and a head on said shaft and on which head the block` of ice may rest.

3. An ice cubing machine comprising a table, vertical saws extending above said table adapted for providing vertical kerfs in a block of ice, a horizontally disposed saw above said table adapted to release cubes from said block of ice, a shiftable frame adapted to move the block of ice into engagement with said saws, and means carried by said table adapted for elevating and turning the block of ice above the plane of said frame.

4. An ice cubing machine, as in claim 3, wherein said means includes treadle elevated shaft which may turn on the treadle.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- FREAR TURNER. Witnesses:

OT'roF. BARTHEL,

RAYMOND J. PETZ. 

